What it Takes
'Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life.' Marcus Aurelius
I was reminded of the truth of this quote as our family colored Easter eggs last night. Simple pleasures such as this make up 99% of what I need to be happy- a fact I try to be mindful of in the face of the achievement oriented behavior that modern life seems to demand.We have become a culture of strivers- which is a double-edged sword. If we don’t strive we never seem to get ahead… yet if we get stuck in strive mode, we never get to enjoy life.That mythical blinking neon sign that begs ‘faster, better, more’ will always be flashing in the distance, reminding us that there is another dollar to make, another deadline to hit, and another level to reach.But what that neon sign SHOULD say is this: life is short, moments are fleeting, and it takes very little to have a happy life…Figuring out what we really need in order to be happy is worth giving some thought to- Take a moment today and do a quick ‘happiness inventory.’ Ask yourself, ‘what does it take to really make me happy?’